Latch mechanism for closures



J. A. KENNEDY LATCH MECHANISM FOR CLOSURES Filed Aug. 11. 1923 6cm may,

Patented Jan. 27, i925. l

Farm ounce.

JOIHN A, KENNEDY, OF TOPEKA, KANSAS. l

LATCH MECHANISM FOR GLOSURES.

Application filed August 11, 1923. Serial No. 656,823.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that JOHN A. KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Topeka, in the county of Shawnee and State of Kansas, has invented new and useful Improvements in Latch Mechanism for Closures, of which the following is a specification.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a latch mechanism for a closure consisting of a plurality of doors or elements, and to so arrange the latch mechanism that it may be carried by one of the elements when the same are opened and yet extended to latch the whole series.

The invention comprises further features and combinations of parts to be hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the outer faces of both doors and the jamb, showing the improved latch mechanism carried thereby.

Figure 2 is a view in elevation showing the inner faces of the doors and the jamb with the mechanism applied.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the frame, 2 the door openings and 3 and 4 the doors for closing the openings. The doors are hinged to the ambs, as shown at 5.

Mounted in guide straps 6 on the door 3 is a slide bar 7, one end of which is pivoted at 8 to an oscillatory member 9 which is pivoted at 10 to the door. The oscillatory member 9 is, in turn. pivoted at 11 to a latch 12, one end of which engages a socket 13 in the jamb of the frame. The latch member 12 acts to keep the door 3 latched at the hinged edge of the door.

A second latch member 14 has a bifurcated end pivoted at 15 to the. other end of the sliding member or bar 7. The latch member 14, in turn, engages a socket 16 in the jamb of the other door opening for the purpose of latching the door 4 at the hinged edge thereof. In fact, since the latch member 14 is pivoted to the sliding member or bar 7 and overlies the intermediate jamb 17, the door 4 is held in closed position when the end of the latch member 14 engages with the socket ,16.

When the latch member 14 is. in a horizontal position, it engages the keepers 18, 1.9

and 20. These keepers are in the form of brackets which are secured to the door 4.

The brackets are angular and their larger upright portions are spaced from the inner face of the door so that the latch member 14, when in a horizontal position, may engage between the upright portions and the face of the door, thereby preventing the door from being opened in one direction. A beading a1 is formed with the jamb of the two door openings and is engaged by both doors for the purpose of preventing movement of the door in the opposite direction.

It will be noted that when the latch member 14 is moved on its pivot 15 to a position to engage the strap or bracket 22, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 2, the door 4 is free to be opened. When the latch member 14 is in such position, the sliding member or bar 7 may be moved to withdraw the latch member 12 from engagement with the socket 13. The latch member 12 is also mounted slidably in the angular strap guide 23 for the purpose of supporting the same in a horizontal position whereby it can be reciprocated in either direction.

A spring 24 is fastened at 25 to the door 3 and is engaged with a pin 26 to tension and retain the spring in position so that the free end portion of the spring will bear against the upper end of the latch member 9, holding the sliding member or bar 7 in such position as to retain the end of the latch member 14 in engagement with its socket 16. When the latch member 14 is moved to the dotted line position, the sliding member or bar 7 may be reciprocated against the action of the spring 24 in order to withdraw the latch member 12 from engagement with its socket. However, the sliding member or bar 7 may remain in the position shown in Figure 2 in full lines with the. latch member 12 engaged with its socket, the spring 24 acting to retain the parts in such position while.

the door 3 may be swung open with the latch members carried thereby, allowing the other door to be opened. v

The door 4, however, may be retained in its latched closed position by means of an auxiliary latchmechanism. This auxiliary latch mechanism may be operated from the exterior or through the medium of an element may be actuated from the interior. This auxiliary mechanism is provided for the urpose' of retaining one steer-in a closed late ied position while the other door or clo tory member 27,

their sockets 36 upper and lower sure may be opened. This auxiliary latch mechanism comprises an oscillatory member 27 which is pivoted to the door 4, as at 28, and has its opposite ends provided with slots 29. Mounted in guide straps 30 and 31 are sliding latches 32 and Certain of the ends of the sliding latches 32 and? 33 are connected to the oscillatory member 27 by means of the pivot connecting pins 34; and 35'whichpass through the slots 2t. By means of this connection, the ends of the oscillatory member 27 are permitted to move relatively to the sliding latches 32 and 33. The remote ends of thetwo latches 32 and 33 engage sockets 36 and 37 in the opposite jambs of the door opening 2 on the left in Figure]. The socket 37 is formed in the jamb where the door 4 is pivoted while the socket 37 is formed in the jamb where the free edge of the door engages. A suitable spring 38 is tixed at 39 to the door at and engages with a pin 4C0. Thesprin'g is so disposed as to bear upon the oscillatory member 27 to retain the sliding latches 32 and 33 in engagement with their sockets.

The door 4 has anxopening 41 adjacent where the sliding latch 32 is disposed. On the .innert'ace of the door l and adjacent the edges of the opening a1 are bearing brackets 42 torthe reception of the pivot pin 43 upon which a latch actuator 4A is'pivotally mounted; This latch actuator has a reduced extremity 45 which passes throughthe opening ll and engages with an opening 415 in the sliding latch 3'3. The opening 46 is so constructed as to per mit the reduced extremity to engage therewith and cause a reciprocating 'movement to beimparted to the sliding latch 32. The actuator 44 is substantially U-shaped and the greater portion thereof beyond the pivot pin overlies the inner face of the door 4t, as shown in Figures 2 and g The construction and arrangement of the actuator with relation to the sliding latches 32 and are such that when the actuator is swung outwardly, the reduced extremity of the actuator Will cooperate with the opening 4:6 in order to slide the latch 32 in the di- 'rection of the arrow a in Figure and since this sliding latch is connected to the sliding latch 33through the medium of the oscillathe extremities oi? both latches "will disengage from the sockets 36 and 37, leaving the door 3 free to he opened. However, the door 4: cannot be opened until the sliding latches'are disengaged from and 37. In this way, the door 4 maybe-retained closed while the door 3m'ay be opened and when the door 3 is "opened, the latch mechanism, which inchides the slidiing member or bar 7 and the latch member 14, may move therewith While the latch member 14 is in atilted position. Obviously, the actuator 14 may be locked by any suitable means, such as a padlock or the like (not shown), on the interior of the door 4. When the actuator is released, provided it is locked, and tilted, it will more the sliding latch. in the direction of the arrow 0, thereby tilting the oscillatory member 27 and Withdrawing the remote ends of both latches from their sockets, lcavingthc door 4 free to be opened.

The invention having been set forth, what is claimed is:

1. A latching mechanism including a. door frame with a door opening, a. pair of doors hinged to the "frame, a sliding bar mounted in guides on one door, a sliding latch for the door carrying the bar and opcratively connected to the bar, a second sliding latch pivoted to the other end of the sliding liar aml brid 'in said intermediate and) and liavim a c P.

its end opcratively engaging with the jamb for latching the other door, said second sliding latch being movable on its pivot to assume an inclined position with relation to the sliding bar whereby, when the door is opened, the entire mechanism is carried th erewi th 2. In a. latch mechanism, a door frame having door openings, a pair of doors hinged to the jambs of said door openings, a. slide bar mounted in guides in one door, a slide latch mounted in a guide of the door carrying the bar and adapted for engagement with the jamb to retain one of the doors latched, an oscillatory spring tcnsioned member connecting said slide latch and the slide bar. the other door having supports, a second slide latch pivotally connected to the slide bar and adapted to assume a horizontal position in engagement with the supports and with a socket in the jamb of'thc door opening, said second slidc latch being adapted to assume a tilted position to permit the door carrying the bar to be opened.

3. The combination with a. plurality of adjacent closures, of a. latch mechanism mounted on one of said closures and embodying a latch for engagement with the jamb oi the mechanisi'n carried closure, a slide bar mounted on said closure and operatively connected with said latch, and a second latch member folda'bly connected with the slide bar and adapted for arrangement in spanning relation with the remaining closure'and in engagement with the jamb thereof, said second latch member being adapted for arrangement on the mechanism carried closure when the latter is o )ened.

In testimony whereof he aflixes his signature.

JOHN A. KENNEDY. 

